Bruins end Sound Tigers' win streak at 7

Michael Fornabaio

Published 11:11 pm, Saturday, April 7, 2012

Sound Tigers players #20 Kael Mouillierat and #8 Tony Romano, right, work to get the puck away from Providence's #23 Trent Whitfield as he tires to get the puck to the goal, during hockey action at the Webster bank Arena in Bridgeport, Conn. on Saturday April 7, 2012.
Photo: Christian Abraham

Sound Tigers #65 Tomas Marcinko stymies an attempt by Providence's #7 Maxime Sauve as he tires to get the puck to the goal, during hockey action at the Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport, Conn. on Saturday April 7, 2012.
Photo: Christian Abraham

Sound Tigers David Ullstrom, injured by a Providence player, is helped to his feet, during hockey action at the Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport, Conn. on Saturday April 7, 2012.
Photo: Christian Abraham

BRIDGEPORT -- They've had some spells, some periods, like the game the Bridgeport Sound Tigers had Saturday, but there haven't been many nights where they never seemed to get anything going.

Bridgeport got back into it for about 45 seconds, but Providence answered quickly on the way to a 4-2 win at Webster Bank Arena.

"It's just a simple function of work. That team outworked us," Bridgeport coach Brent Thompson said. "It's very uncharacteristic. ¦ We turned it on, but it was too little, too late."

The Sound Tigers' seven-game winning streak ended, but they remained five points ahead of the Connecticut Whale for first place in the Northeast Division. The Sound Tigers have three games remaining; the Whale, four.

Bridgeport lost 24-goal-scorer David Ullstrom and defenseman Jon Landry to high hits. Thompson said he didn't think the injuries were serious but didn't disclose their natures, either.

The Bruins scored two goals in the first period and held Bridgeport scoreless on three power plays.

"(The power play) didn't click," defenseman Mark Katic said. "When we did something right, we had (the puck) bounce over our stick. ¦ If we capitalize on the power play in the first, it might've turned the game around."

Greenwich's Sean Backman deflected in a Tomas Marcinko shot 7:51 into the second period to cut the Bruins' lead to 2-1.

Providence's leading scorer made it 3-1 just 45 seconds later. Carter Camper beat Kevin Poulin on a three-on-two, putting a shot off a post and in as Bridgeport's forwards changed.

"It was a lackluster game," Thompson said. "We try to play with emotion. There was very little emotion, and they took advantage of our casualness."

Attendance was 3,220.

Moments of emotion included a Blair Riley fight with Bobby Robins, whose hit on Landry produced no penalty but whose hit on Backman was called a minor for a check to the head.

And things boiled over with 1:10 to go. Providence goalie Michael Hutchinson made a save, took a bump from Tony Romano and fell to the ice. While the Bruins converged on Romano, Bridgeport's Justin DiBenedetto skated to the goalie, who grabbed DiBenedetto's leg.

A few seconds later, DiBenedetto was on top of the goalie and throwing punches. Hutchinson got up and returned fire.

Hutchinson wasn't penalized, but DiBenedetto, who wasn't available for comment, received an instigator penalty on top of a fighting major. Because the instigator happened in the last five minutes, that penalty carries an automatic one-game suspension. Both teams are off until they meet again Friday at Providence.

Veteran forward Trevor Frischmon sat out; he took a hard hit from behind early in Friday's game. Brock Nelson, a 2010 first-round draft pick of the New York Islanders, made his pro debut in his place.

The Islanders' season ended Saturday. Forwards Casey Cizikas and Micheal Haley and defenseman Matt Donovan are eligible to return to Bridgeport.